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Dangerous game hunting in Botswana, Trophy Elephant
Booking Season: 2026
Hunt Difficulty: Difficult
Designed by Hunters, for Hunters
Big game hunting in Botswana is what it is all about! Sporting the highest concentration of elephants in the world, with more than 130,000 animals, Botswana is the perfect destination for an elephant hunting safari. The African elephant (Loxodonta) is the world’s largest terrestrial mammal and a sought-after game hunting trophy for big game hunting enthusiasts worldwide. Although this herbivorous mammal may be quite laid back and relaxed, don’t be fooled, it has earned its inclusion into the Dangerous 7 and Africa’s Big 5 game hunting trophies and they can become extremely aggressive if threatened or injured. Elephant hunting in Botswana is a dream African hunt! With the sheer amount of elephants in the country, a successful hunting safari is definitely on the cards. But be prepared to work for it, elephant hunting in Botswana requires a fair amount of walking while enjoying the African safari and targeting your trophy bull. Be sure to pack sufficient water and sunblock, the harsh African sun can be very deceiving.
Botswana’s famous Okavango region is renowned for its lush green vegetation, with plenty of water and good grazing attracting many species to the area, including the elephant, making this a dream African hunt! This location produces exceptional trophy elephant bulls and the sheer concentration of animals makes it a sought-after hunting destination. Another location for elephant hunting in Botswana is the Kalahari region. Botswana’s hunting season runs from 1 March – 30 November, with the dry season being the optimal season for elephant hunting in Botswana. The IUCN lists the African bush elephant as “endangered” and a CITES permit is required for this hunting safari.
Shot Placement on a Botswana Hunting Safari
Elephant hunting in Botswana is exciting, thrilling, and extremely dangerous, making it the perfect big game hunting safari! This African hunt will start where spoor have been spotted, or at a local waterhole or river that the elephants frequent. A basic rule concerning shot placement is that if you aren’t 100% sure that your shot is precise and on the mark, don’t take it. Shoot with the largest caliber rifle with which you feel comfortable and can make accurate shot placement.
With shot placement remember: Use large caliber rifles that can penetrate the elephant’s thick skull bones, Forty and fifty caliber rifles loaded with 400 – 500 grain solids will suffice for your Botswana hunting safari. Follow-ups are critical and the hunter needs to be ready for a fast follow-up after the first shot.
What Caliber Rifle is used when Elephant Hunting in Botswana?
As with any dangerous game hunting, the minimum legal requirement is a .375 caliber rifle, with a 300-grain bullet. There is no such thing as “too much gun” when big game hunting elephants in Botswana and calibers 450 grain and up are recommended, such as a .416 Rigby, .458, or .458 Lott. Only solid bullets should be used on this African hunt. Double rifles are also often used to target these huge mammals and include options such as 470NE and 500NE.
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